Gas generator



Feb. 13, 1940. v R. M; MEAD 2,190,367

GAS GENERATOR Filed March 29, 1938 IHI'I ll l I; I I I l ll; ll lll ll H! I' [IN] llllll {I '1' INVENTOR lioyM Mead Patented Feb. 13, 1940.]

UNITED stra t-es rarest lorries N v 1f2 1l90,s67 n '1 'j n I GAS GENERATOR Roy M. "Mead, Asheyille. N. 0., 'assi'gnor' toAmerican Gas "Service '(lompany,fLima, Ohio, a corporation o'fQhio Application March 29, 1938, Serial No. 198.720 I 2 Claims. (Cl. 62--1) M This invention relates to a system forsupply- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view along the ing fuel gas to consumers remote from central line IIII of Fig. 1; and distribution facilities. Fig. 3 is a partial section similar to Fig. 1, to

It has been proposed heretofore to supply fuel an enlarged scale. v 5 gas to, isolated consumers by delivering a lique- Referring now in detail to the drawing, a stor- 5 fied hydrocarbon gas to a storage tank on the age tank which may be of any desired conconsumers premises. There are several such struction, is provided with filling pipes ll having gases which boil off at relatively low tempera control valves 12 therein. A gas offtake I3 is tures so that, when delivered to an underground also connected to the tank and has a main shut- 10 storage tank, for example, they vaporize readily off valve "therein. The tank W is preferably 5 and build up a vapor pressure sufficient to deburied below the frost line. The pipes Ii exliver the vaporized gas to the burners of consumtend upwardly through a manhole I5 having a ing devices. cover l6 thereon. 1

One difficulty that has been experienced in Alining fibr e a ndS arou d 15 systems fthis kind is t t t area, of th body substantially the entire interior surface of the 15 of liquid contained in the tank which is exposedside Wall of the tank. The lining may be com to direct heat absorption from the surrounding posed f wo l or o n lint r est s fi er, earth decreases as the level of the liquid drops on rock 0 y like m er al a ed by consumption of the gas. The vapor pressure hydiefealben Such as p p i butane Which i existing in the tank is thus considerably lower usually u j ms of the type described- 20 when the tank is empty than when it is practical- The lining m v n en ly ake the form of ly full. It is an object of the present invention a felted sheet shapedto conform to the contour to overcome. this difiiculty and maintain a sub-' of the tank and inserted therein while one of the stantially constant vapor pressure in the storage heads-Of the tank remains p a e from the y tank regardless of Whether it is nearly full or thereof. The lining may eenvehiently be e in nearly empty. In one embodiment of the inven Position y a S t of mesh overlying e fition I provide a storage tank for liquefied gas b OU y I the mesh is bent p from e at with a lining composed of fibrous material hav into cylindrical form, its natural Spring 0 i- 1 ing high capillary qualities. This lining is efdency to open or flatten out will be suflicient to 3 fective to draw liquid from the body thereof conhold the lining in contact with the side wall of tained in the tank and raise it to a substantial h tanky Suitable means y b p y d elevation above the natural level of the liquid. in addition to secure the mesh to the tank wall.

I am thus enabled to maintain in contact with a Th eff t f th fibrous l nin i o m nt substantial portion of the area of the tank wall, in contact with substantially the entire inner sur- 5 88 blanket at t t th liquefied g face of the side wall of the tank ill, a blanket gardl'ess of the level of the liquid in the tank. saturated with fi d s. The ap llaryquah The liquid is thus subject to heating from th ities of the lining material cause it to draw liqurrounding medium Over a much greater area uid from the body thereof contained in the tank than it otherwise would be when nearly empty upwardly around the inside of the tank T wall. 40

0 and as a, result, a, higher rate of evaporation is This blanket iS in direct heat-exchange. relation achieved and a substantially constant vapor to h tank Wall through which e t is absorbed pressure i t i d 3 from the surrounding earth to cause evaporation The i nt of which one specific rm is of the liquid. As a result, practically the entire described and claimed herein is claimedbrcadly tread? the tank side Wall as a heat- 45 in my copending application,'Serial No. 19 L180 for exchange surface to cause evaporation the d- Gas generating apparatus showing another mocli- 11111 by reason of h heat absorbed through he fication. t r tank wall from the surrounding earth. The ef- The following detailed description of one form fect of the fibrous lining is thus similar to that of the invention is to be read in connection with of maintaining the storage tank substantially the accompanyin drawing illustrating a prefull at all times. It would be impractical. for ferred embodiment. In the drawing: obvious reasons, to attempt the latter but the Fig. 1, is a longitudinal sectional viewtaken present invention achieves substantially the same through an underground storage tank embodyresult at only a slight additional cost.

ing the invention; It will be understood that the storage tank H) i is initially filled by connecting one of the pipes II to the discharge port of a tank car or truck and connecting the other pipe II to the supply tank above the level of the liquid therein. In this way, the tank Ill may be filled under pressure without necessity of, closing the main valve M or shutting ofi the burners supplied therefrom.

While I have illustrated and described herein but a preferred form of the invention, changes in the construction disclosed may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

for example, may cover only a part of the interior of the tank instead of the whole, if this'provides sufiicient evaporating surface.

I claim:

1. The combination with an underground tank The liningl1,

' traction whereby the liquid is maintained in heatfor storing liquefied fuel gas, of a lining in said exchange contact with the tank wall over an area above the natural level of the liquid as said level fallson withdrawal of gas from the tank.

I ROY M. MEAD. 

